Method and apparatus for steaming locomotives



L. G.'PLANT METHOD AND APPARATUS- FOR ISUTEAMING LOCOMOTIVES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 7, 1942 llllllllllllIlllllIIllllIlllllllllllllllllllll [ll i0 Dec. 14, 1943.

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES FATENT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR, STEARHNG LOCOMOTIVES Application September 7, 1942, Serial No. 457,568

F Fl CE Claims.

This invention relates to systems for servicing steam locomotive boilers at stations where they are wholly or partially emptied and refilled. Its purpose is to facilitate the filling and steaming of locomotive boilers by combination and choice of more than one of several methods, as best suited to the occasion.

The present application is a continuation-inpart of my prior application Serial No. 389,999,

mixer when filling a boiler as later when building up a working pressure in the boiler.

In the Miller method, the boiler filling operation is accomplished with a supply of water under pressure at a temperature slightly below 212 F. and, from a separate source, a supply of steam admitted to the locomotive boiler, in mixed relation to the water, whereto the steam is supplied at a lower pressure than the water, Following filed April 23, 1941, containing claims for a spe- 10 this filling operation, the method contemplates c fic booster or mixer which embodies structural supplying additional steam alone, at high presfeatures not claimed in the present application. sure until a self-propelling pressure is created in The invention comprises apparatus that can be the locomotive boiler. The illustration of this controlled independently, in relation to each of invention shows one mixer for serving a plurality a group of stored locomotives, to select, at will, of locomotive stations by means of amain through the method preferred for filling and steaming which the mixture of water and steam is piped. each of these locomotives separately. It is appli- Because of the lower pressure of steam in relacable to a locomotive terminal operated and tion to the water pressure, which is a characterequipped according to the invention of Plant istic claimed for this invention, the steam must 1,686,103 wherein all fires are banished from the 0 be entrained by the water flowing into the main house in which the locomotives are stored. (instead of the water being entrained by steam as In a terminal of this type, the locomotives have practiced by Otis). A sep p p ai servtheir steamed condition either maintained or reing the same plurality of locomotive stations is stored at storage positions segregated from the shown by Miller fo S pp y ng the additional hi h locations at which their fires are extinguished pressure steam for building up a working preson arrival, and at which their fires are later sure in the locomotive boilers. reljghted preparatory to departure, In the actual use of this method it has been The method that has generally been employed found more practical to provide an individual for restoring locomotives to steamed condition mixer at each locomotive station but because the at the storage stations in terminals operated as steam is entrained by the water in this invenabove, is that of Otis 1,592,618 but the operatio tion it is necessary to introduce the water through of a fireless engine storage house, as was first a nozzle into the mixer and direct the steam into proposed by the present applicant in his invena chamber surrounding this n n this aption above cited, does not specify and is not built 131108361011 0f the invention t p ct ce to date u on any one method for resteaming locomotive 3*) has been to limit the steam supply to that deboilers without fire therein. Other practical v r through h ix r, a a pr ure sub methods devised to accomplish this operation inordinate t0 the Water p es clude that of Miller 1,870,582 and a method prac- In the procedure for which the app r s of ticed in using the app atus OI" Phelps 1,927,613. Phelps Was devised, the locomotive boiler is filled In the Gtis method, the boiler filling operation i w t Wa er at steaming tempe at pp is accomplished with a supply of heated water from a source in which a body of water is acand of steam delivered, from separated sources, cumulated at said temperature. As in the Miller to the locomotive boiler, through a mixer, at such illvantion, Phelps proposes supplyil'lg 'adfiiticnal temperatures and in such proportions that the h1g1} pressure Sjteam to h boner mixture entering the boiler has a temperature in lowmg t filllng Operation, to build up a s llexcess of 212 F. Following the filling operation, Pmpenmg t i and provldes plpe team alone is supplied to the boiler at a line througn WhlCh l ve steam can be delivered 3 directly from the stationary steam supply to the pressure required for l up WPrkmg locomotive boiler, at each station. pressure on the locomotlve Wlth Water m The present invention provides an apparatus boiler at tempsmture correspondmg to thls adapted for installation at each of any number of Steam pressurfl This method allows Steam of stations where locomotives are stored and servany desired pressure t be admitted to the mixer iced. It enables either the Otis or Miller methods during the filling Uperation and it is Customary for filling and steaming locomotives to be practo draw steam from the same supply pipe to the ticed optionally, at any of said stations, by a reversed, at will, without altering the initial pressures at which the steam and water are delivered from their sources, and maintaining a relation wherein the lower pressure medium is entrained by the higher pressure medium in themixing process.

In the following drawings of this invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevation representing sources of steam andheated water, intypical relationto the apparatus of this invention, shown'partially in section, at a locomotive storage station, where it is connectedto a locomotive boiler, here represented by a. cross-sectional view through its firebox.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through an apparatus which-is a modification of this invention for altering the paths and relative pressures of water and steam supplied to a locomotive boiler through a mixerof the type shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3'is a sectionalview through the apparatus of Fig. 2, showing two rotary valves therein,

turned atan angle of approximately 90 in relation to the preceding view, for the purpose of alteringthepaths and relative pressures of steam and water supplied to a locomotive boiler, through the mixer.

Fig. .4 is an elevation representing sources of steam and heated water, in typicalrelation to a modification in the apparatus of this invention, which here employs a steam valve and throttling pipe, at each storage station, in lieu of a single pressure reducing valve as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the steam and water supply lines-of the preceding views, and a distributing valve, which is a modification of the invention, to automatically eifect a transposition in the paths of steam and water supplied to and through the mixer, following upon each reversal in the relative pressures at which the steam and water are supplied thereto.

Fig.6 is a sectional view through the distributing valve of Fig. 5. showing its position, as altered from'the preceding view, to accomplish a transposition in the paths of water and steam to and through the mixer, in response to a reversal in the relative pressures of steam and water supplied thereto.

The mixer is is typical of a construction com-. monly used since 1927 adapted to introduce the water through a nozzle I 6, from which it emerges into the combining tube 11, at high velocity and I there entrains a quantity of steam supplied to the The represen- V chamber surrounding nozzle 81. tation of this mixeris diagrammatic and its passages may be so proportioned that when steam alone is supplied to said chamber, it may be introduced at any desired high pressure and will pass onto the locomotive boiler 29, through pipe 16, without appreciable loss in its pressure. These passages may in the same proportioning, be adapted to introduce steam through its nozzle I6, and to receive water in the surrounding chamber from which it is entrained by said steam, when the steam is supplied thereto at a pressure higher than the water pressure, for which optional procedure, the arrangement of valves and pipe connections is provided by modifications of this invention, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6.

In the operation of this invention by means of the apparatus shown in any of the accompanying drawings, the relative pressures of steam and water as supplied to mixer 55, during the filling operation may be reversed, at will, by a manipulation of valves provided at each locomotive storage station, irrespective of the relative pressures .at which supplied from their sources I and 2, through pipe mains 5 and 6.

Inthe apparatus of Fig. 1, there is a steam main adapted to deliver high pressure steam direct from its source through individual branch pipes, to each of the mixers E5, of which one only is shown in' this view. In this arrangement,:there is also a steam main 5, adapted to deliver reduced pressure steam, as 'fed from source L'through the pressure reducing valve it, to each of the mixers i5, through other individual branch pipes. There is'also a water main 6, for supplying to each of the mixers i5, water from the source 2, at the pressure with which it is discharged by pump'B. The high and the reduced pressures at which steam is supplied through mains 4 and'5, are respectively above and below the pressure at which water is supplied by pump 3, through main 6.

By' first opening valves 8, in the branch connections from steam and water mains 5 and 6, to mixer l5, later closing these valves and opening another valve 8, in the branch connection from main 4,'to said mixer, the pressures at which steam is supplied to mixer [5, said mixer, with its outlet duct ii gdetachably connecting into the boiler of .a locomotive 2!, can first serve as an instrument, local to each locomotive storage station, through which said boiler is filled with water and steam according to the Miller method, and later, without altering its duct connection to the boiler, as the instrument through which the locomotive is brought up to a fully steamed condition, with steam alone, supplied from source i, at a pressure which may considerably exceed the available pressure of water, which procedure is found in the methods of Otis, Phelps, and others.

'In lieu of the pressure reducing valve I9, there may be employed the more elaborate mechanism of Brock 1,895,765 in which the steam from a high pressure source would be fed through a steam actuated engine, producing power by the expansion of this steam, from its initial pressure, to a lower pressure, at which it would be released into a pipe main 5, through which it could be delivered at reduced pressure to each of several mixers. The invention of Brock shows both high pressure and moderate pressure steam mains supplying a booster fitting into which a water supply main is also connected. In this earlier apparatus, steam could be supplied through these two mains at pressures above and below the pressure of water supplied to the same fitting, as proposed in the present invention.

However, the Brock apparatus bears a different physical relation to the mixer l5, and is employed in a procedure distinct from the Miller method. It does not anticipate the present invention, as disclosed in Fig. 1, because it introduces the water through a side inlet to a booster fitting of ordinary construction which implies that the water enters a chamber surrounding the nozzle to which steam from both of the steam mains is introduced through a top inlet. To practice the filling operation of the Miller methed, the water, as he shows, must be discharged from a nozzle surrounded by a chamber filled with steam at a lower pressure than the water, by which it is entrained. It would be impractical in the operation of filling a boiler by the Miller method to obtain the entraining action claimed, if the water is delivered through a side inlet to a chamber surrounding a nozzle into which the steam is supplied through a top inlet, when the pressure of steam thus supplied is less than the pressure of the water by which it is entrained, a claimed in the Miller invention.

In the modification or this invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the apparatus is not only capable of reversing the relative pressures at which steam and water are supplied to the mixer I5, but also accomplishes a transposition in the paths of each in passing through the mixer. For this purpose, two rotary, three-way valves II, are provided in the pipe connections into each mixer One of said rotary valves II, ha a supply pipe branching from the high pressure steam main l, the other rotary valve I I, is supplied by a branch pipe from the water main 6. The ports n of these rotary valves are sized relatively as indicated by the drawings. Each valve I I, has two outlet pipes, one connecting into the nozzle I6, of mixer I5, and the other into the chamber surrounding said nozzle, From the valve Ii, which is supplied with steam, the outlet pipe 5, receives steam at a pressure reduced by its passage through a restricted port in said valve, for delivery into the chamber surrounding nozzl I6, in the mixer i5. From the other valve I I, which is supplied with water, the outlet pipe I, is provided for carrying water to said chamber, at a pressure which can be reduced, if desired, by restricting the port in said valve through which this water is discharged to the pipe I.

In operating the rotary valves of Figs. 2 and 3, they are turned through an angle of approximately 90, at both extremities of said rotation, they present an inlet port registering with its supply pipe, as above referred to. But in the positions only one outlet port in each valve reg ters with an outlet pipe, the other outlet port being closed against an outer wall of the valve. Each pair of valves i, may be interlocked by means of rod 513 connecting operating arms 5! and 52 connected to the respective valve so that when one valve is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2, the other will be positioned as shown in this view, and when one of said valves rotated approximately 90, as shown in Fig. 3, the other valve will also be rotated to the position shown in this View.

The effect of this apparatus, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is to reduce the pressure of water or steam, whichever is discharged into the chamber surrounding nozzle It, while allowing the full snppiy main pressure of steam or water, whichever is selected, to flow into said nozzle. This permits the filling operation to be practiced optionally, at each station, according to either the method of Miller or Otis, and, following the filling operation, by closing a valve 8, in the branch pipe from water main "0, and directing the'steam flow from main 6, into the nozzle is, it permits an unrestricted flow of high pressure steam into Til the locomotive boiler until a working pressure is developed therein, approximating the pressure of steam at source I, which may be substantially higher than the pressure of water available at source 2, through pump 3.

The form of this invention disclosed by Fig. 4, is a modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, to the extent that in place of a main 5, through which a plurality of mixers l5, may be supplied with steam at a reduced pressure, which is below the pressure of water supplied through main 6, steam at this reduced pressure is supplied to the chamber surrounding nozzle I6 of mixer i5, through an individual valve and pipe i2, sized to throttle the flow of steam and thus reduce its pressure to less than the pressure at which water is delivered into said nozzle. In the apparatus of Fig. 4, the maximum pressure of water available for filling the boiler, as above, may fall far short of the working steam pressure desired in a locomotive boiler, and this filling operation i supplemented by supplying steam alone, at its source pressure, through the larger pipe to mixer 65, from main i.

Miller proposes to supplement his filling operation with a supply of high pressure steam separately piped from its source and would provide independent connection from this high pressure main to the locomotive boiler. But, in the practice of this method to date, the expense of providing a separate main for high pressure steam with individual connections at each 1000- motive storage station, for accomplishing this supplementary steaming operation, ha actually restricted use of the Miller method to filling opera't-ions limited to the pressure of water available.

The means employed by the present invention for optionally reducing the pressure of steam supplied to mixer 55, is similar to that used by :iurray, 1,788,06 but Murray uses this steam throttling device in a diiferent physical relation to the mixer 55, and for a difierent purpose. In the apparatus of Fig. l, steam is supplied to the chamber surrounding nozzle I6, and water is delivered to the mixer I5, through said nozzle. The apparatus of Murray is for the maintenance of a steamed condition, at reduced pressure, in locomotive boilers after same have been filled and Murray the steam, at whatever pressure sup plied, is introduced to the mixer I5, through its nozzle 95. It would be impractical to use'the arrangement of Murray in filling locomotive boilers by the method of Miller because the intro- 1 duct-ion of steam through the nozzle I55, at a presmethod. On the other hand, this modification of the present invention afiords a practical device to accomplish results of the Murray invention for maintaining locomotive boilers in steamed condition, at reduced pressure.

In the operation of the device shown in Fig. 5, the steam is drawn from main 4, at the pressure of source 9, and supplied through valve I3, to the differential pressure distributing valve it. Water is drawn from main 6, at the pressure received from its source 2, through pump 3, and also supplied to the distributing valve it. By of valve 5'3, the steam from main t, may either be permitted to flow unrestricted into valve I d, at its source pressure, which is above the pressure at which water is delivered to said valve 51, or it may be thrcttled in passing through valve 53,; soas to reach the distributing valve M,

atapressure which isbelow said Water pressure. In the valve' it, the central plung 1, operating in a cylinder of enlarged diameter, will be responsive to whichever, the steam or water, has the higher pressure on admission to it, and will move, to one side or the other, so as to allow thejavailable area of the enlarged'central sec-- tion of the cylinder in which it operates, to be filled at thehig her pressure. By this action, a portis automatically uncoveredpermitting the higher pressure medium to fiow into the nozzle 5 5,01" mixer 5, BY this same action of the dis tributing valve, two plungers or" less r diameter are shifted with the central plunger to which they are linked, as shown, and in so shifting, another port is automatically uncovered, permitting the lower pressure medium to flow into the chamber surrounding nozzle is, of themixer it. This movement of the smaller plungers serves at the same-time to automatically block the pas sage of the lower pressure medium into the nozzle it; and to block passage of the higher pre sure medium into the chamber surrounding said nozzle in the mixer L5.

6 is'the same mechanism showing the plungers shifted to the position opposite from that disclosed in Fig. 5, which action has been automatically accomplished simply by altering essure. at which steam is supplied in relato i'essure at which water is supplied. The he action could be effected in principle, by means for altering the water pressure in relation totli steam pressure, and when either the steamer they/ates isalcne supplied, through this mechanism, it will automatically enter: the mixer 55, through its nozzle it. One effect of this mechanism in relation to the invention, of which it is a modification, isto automatically transpose the paths of water and steam used in the filling operation so that whichever medium is supplied at the higher pressure, it will act to entrain the medium supplied at the lower pressure.

Inthe above, it will be seen that means are made available in a mechanism, local to each storage station, which can be manipulated at a locomotive storage station in such manner as to optionally practice either the method of Otis or of Miller in filling a locomotive boiler, and to follow this phase of operation with suppiy or" high pressure steam fed through the same mechanism and pipe connections to the locomotive, all by the simple manipulation of control valves at said station. Advantages of the Miller method which have a particularly practical application to the refilling of boilers in the process of reducing concentrates, therein, (known as the T. D. S. process) are thus preserved together with convenient means, controllable at individual locomotive stations, for'bringing these locomotives up to a steamed condition, at a pressure desirable to the operation of a'fireless enginehouse in the invention of Plant, which pressure may be substantially in excess of the water pressure used in the Miller phase.

The Miller method is advantageous for refilling boilers which have been partially emptied in the nrocess of reducing concentration of solids the water, after a run, and while the boiler is still under a considerable pressure of steam, b cause the higher water pressure specified, by ler, enables the filling water to be forced into this boiler against the pressure therein, the water thus supplied being heated to a steaming telperature by entrainment of a relatively small quantity; of steam before entering the boiler. If a steam supply of suflicient pressure is depended on for 'refilling the boiler against its internal pressure, an excessive proportion of live steam and relatively small quantity of water is required, epresenting a thermal waste when there is available a supply of water heated from sources that would otherwise be wasted. An advantage of other steaming practices which the apparatus of this invention utilizes in combination with the method of Miller, is found in their adaptability to use of a single mixer and duct connection to the locomotive at each storage station, through which locomotive boilers can be filled with mixtures of steam and water of'moderate pressure (in which either the steam or water may be supplied at the lower pressure) and later brought to any desired Working pres-- sure by the supply of steam alone, through said mixer and locomotive connection. It is not considered desirable, or even practical, to supply heated water from source 2, by means of a pump 3, for filling locomotives through a main 6, at a pressure at all equal to the steam pressure desired in a locomotivev boiler without lighting the '"re therein, in the practice of the Plant inventicn, to avoid smoke until after the locomotive moved out of its storage station house, for which purpose an ample steam pressure is needed in testing auxiliaries (such as air pumps, etc.) and advisable in cold weather when the locomotive may have to sustain a considerable pressure drop in being moved out doors before its fire is lighted.

The advantage of having both the Miller and ther methods optionally available in a compact mechanism, operating through a single connection to a locomotive and controllable, individually at each storage station, is obvious.

.Lclaim;

1 In the operation of locomotive storage stations the steps which comprise separately piping to. the station a supply of heated water under pressure and a supply of steam under pressure greater than that of the water and sufiicient to develop. a working pressure in a locomotive boiler when introduced therein, reducing the steam pressure at the station to less than the water pressure, mixing the two at the station by entraining the steam in the water, and delivering the mixture into a locomotive boiler, then shutting oil": the water supply at the station and dclivering steam to the locomotive boiler from said supply without reducing the pressure.

2. In'the operation of locomotive storage stations the steps which comprise delivering into a locomotive boiler from separate, single pressure sources, a supply of heated water and a supply of steam in mixed relation, reversing at will at the station the relative pressures of water and steam to be mixed, directing whichever is being supplied at the higher pressure through a nozzle, and introducing the other to a chamber surrounding the nozzle, and entraining the lower pressure medium in the higher pressure medium in passing from the nozzle,

3; At a locomotive storage station, means for delivering into a locomotive boiler, from separate, single pressure sources, a supply of heated water and a supply of steam, in mixed relation; together with means at-sai' station including control valve means for reversing, at will, the relative pressures of water and steam supplies to be mixed, directing whichever is being supplied at the higher, pressure, through a nozzle, and

introducing the other to a chamber around said nozzle, from which chamber the lower pressure medium is entrained by the higher pressure medium, as it flows from said nozzle.

4. At a locomotive storage station, a supply of heated water piped to the station at one pressure and a source of steam piped to the station at a lower pressure, means for entraining the lower pressure steam with the higher pressure water and delivering this mixture into a locomotive boiler; together with control means at said station for shutting off these simultaneous supplies of water and steam and delivering to the locomotive boiler a supply of steam, piped separately to the station from said source at a pressure higher than the water supply pressure.

5. At a locomotive storage station, a supply of heated water and a source of steam, piped separately to the station in mains wherein the steam pressure is higher than the water pressure, means at said station for drawing steam from said supply at a pressure below the water supply pressure, means for entraining it with water at supply pressure and means for delivering the mixture into a locomotive boiler; together with control means at said station for shutting off the supplies for this mixture and means for supplying steam only to the boiler from said source at the pressure of steam as piped to the station.

6. At a locomotive storage station, a supply of heated water and a source of steam, each individually piped from separate sources to the station, of which the steam source has a higher pressure than the water supply; means for delivering said supplies into a locomotive boiler; control means adapted to reduce the pressure of steam supplied at said station to less than the water supply pressure; mixing means at said station adapted to combine the Water supply with steam at a lower pressure by entraining the steam in the Water; and valve means adapted to selectively admit water and steam to such admixture, preceding its delivery to a locomotive boiler, and means to terminate at will the supplies to said admixture and means to supply steam alone to flow from said source, without pressure reduction, into the locomotive boiler.

7. At a locomotive storage station, a supply of heated water and a supply of steam, each individually piped from separate sources, of which the steam source has a higher pressure than the water source; valve means adapted to reduce, at will, the pressure of steam supplied at said station to less than the water supply pressure; differential pressure distributing mechanism responsive to the relative pressures determined by said valve means, to direct the higher pressure supply into the nozzle of a mixer, and the lower pressure supply into a chamber surrounding said nozzle, in such manner that the lower pressure medium will be entrained by the higher pressure medium, and the mixture delivered into a locomotive boiler.

8. At a locomotive storage station, the apparatus of claim '7, in which valve means can be operated to shut oi? the water flow from its supply main and cause steam to flow from its supply main, at source pressure, through said differential pressure distributing mechanism and said mixer, into a locomotive boiler.

9. In a locomotive storage system, a source of steam under relatively high pressure sufiicient when supplied to a locomotive boiler to render the locomotive operative, a source of heated water under pressure less than that of the steam source, a steam and water mixer, a pipe leading from said mixer to a locomotive boiler, pipe connections from said sources of steam and water to said mixer, means in said pipe connections for selectively supplying relatively high pressure steam and low pressure water or relatively low pressure steam and high pressure water to said mixer at the will of an operator, whereby the water may be entrained in the steam or the steam entrained in the water in passing through said mixer preparatory to delivery to the locomotive boiler, separate means for cutting o-fi the water supply entirely from said mixer, and means for supplying high pressure steam alone from the source to the boiler.

10. A locomotive steaming system comprising a locomotive storage station, a source of heated water under pressure, a source of steam under pressure greater than that of the water and sufficient when supplied to a locomotive boiler to render the same operative, a steam and water mixer having an outlet adapted to be connected to a locomotive boiler, means for supplying water from said water source to said mixer for entraining steam therein, a conduit, including reducing means, for supplying steam from said steam source to said mixer under pressure less than that of the water to be entrained by the water, control means at said station adapted to shut off the water supply, and means for supplying high pressure steam from said source to the locomotive boiler to render the same operative.

LELAND G. PLANT. 

